Game apparatus



No Model.)

W. G. BURNS. GAME APPARATUS.

No. 517,600. v Patented Apr. 3, 1894.

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER e. BURNS, 0F FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

GAME APPARATus.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,600, dated April 3, 1894;.

Application f led May19, 1893. SerialNo. 474,735- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, WALTER G. BURNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Fort Wayne,in the county of Allen, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the folgames in which a board is tilted for the pur-.

pose of causing a ball to move on its surface in desired directions and places. I-Ieretofore, in games of this class, the players apply their skill in manipulating the board alternately, but in my device all of the players operate or attempt to operate the game board together.

The object of my invention is, to furnish a game that shall be amusing and attractive, and require the constant attention of all of the players, both in securing their own purposes and in preventing the others from attaining their objects. And the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter described, pointed out in the appended claims, and illnstratedrin the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top view of my disk or board. Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. l on line ro -00 resting upon the surface of a table; and Fig. 3 is a top view of my tumble bugs in place upon the ball.

I construct a circular disk or board A of any suitable material and of suflicient thickness for strength, and to provide space for the pockets on its surface and the recess D on the under side in its center. 'Around the periphery of this disk or board, I place a rim B adapted to prevent the ball F from rolling ofi the-board A, and to form an inclosure for the ball F to roll in. This rim B is placed at a sufficient distance within the outer periphery of the board A to afford room or space P for the players to place their fingers on the board outside of the rim for the purpose of manipu lating. Within this inclosure formed by the rim B, I make two or more pockets 0. In the drawings I have shown six, marked C. These are placed at regular intervals, and at'same distance from the-center, and are designed to receive the ball F, and are preferably made ever way the periphery of the board A may be depressed, when placed upon a level table.

The compressible pivot E is also adapted to be entirely compressed within the recess,

. when suificient Weight is brought upon board A by the players, whereby the bottom of the board A is caused to rest upon the table and thereby the movement of the ball F is stopped, because the board then rests level and upon the table.

The ball F is of any suitable material spherical in form, so as to be easily moved by any incline of the board A. Over this ball F I place two tumble bugs G and H 'astride of the ball F, in a manner similar to that in which such bugs move a ball of earth. The two fore feet of the bug H and the rear two feet of the bug G rest upon the table A. The rear. legs M M of the bug H and the fore legs N N of bug G are permanently attached to each other, and are bent or curved to form a bridge as it were over the ball F, over which they are loosely placed, so as not to be supported by the ball, but to be moved by its rolling; the ball being of sufficient weight to afford the required momentum. The side legs J of the bugs are bent in such a manner as to prevent the ball F from rolling out from under the bugs byany lateral movement.

I have spoken of the tumble bugs as if I use the living beetles. But of course, it is understood that the bugs used as above described are not livingbeetles, but tumble bugs made of metal or of any other suitable material. It is also obvious that the bugs when placed over the ball as described and the ball caused to roll, the combination will form an amusing toy independent of the particular game board. And it is believed that this combination is also novel. Further, the legs of the imitation are so bent as to be adapted to prevent the ball from flying out from under the bugs or becoming detached.

I do not confine myself to any particular form, as the imitation of a pair of any other insects or living beings placed over the balls in like manner would answer the purpose of this combination, which is to give the appearance of apair of living things along with, and pushing or pulling the ball.

In playing the game, the board A is placed upon a table resting upon its compressible pivot E. The players arrange themselves around the table in front of the pockets which have been respectively allotted to them, and place the tips of their fingers upon the outer edge of the board A. The ball F is placed upon the board in the center, and the bugs G and II are set astride of it as described. Each player then endeavors to cause the ball to roll into the pocket allotted to him or her respectively by manipulating the board by pressure or raising, so as to cause the proper incline toward the respective pocket. As all the other players are trying to do the same thing at the same time, it will be seen that it requires a great deal of skill and quickness of perception to succeed, and the compressible pivot aids the difliculty of such manipulation by reasons of the motions given to the board by its resiliency. The player who succeeds in getting the ball into his respective pocket scores a point, and the bug and ball are then replaced in the center of the board, and the game is continued as before until the number of points agreed upon shall have been won by some one of the players. The movement of the ball and the bugs astride of it, is at times very ludicrous and adds great interest and excitement to the game, as they are hardly ever still unless the board is held fiat on the table, until a point is made. If at any times the players in their eagerness to check each other force the compressible pivot into the recess D, the board is thereby brought down flat and immovable upon the table. These movements of the board are almost innumerable, and make the success of any one player difficult to attain. All of the players being engaged at one time, there is a united interest and strife in the game, which does not occur in other games of like character, where only one player plays at a time.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a game board, a plate or disk provided on its face with a circular rim forming an inclosure, and pockets or cups placed within the inclosure at equal distances from each other and also from the center: a recess upon the under side of the board in its center, adapted to form a point of attachment for a compressible pivot, and receive said compressible pivot within such recess when forced therein: and a compressible pivot placed within said recess and adapted to support said disk above a table on which it may be placed, and also to be forced within said recess: in combination with a ball andthe tumble bugs G and II arranged over the ball substantially as described.

2. In a game board, a board provided upon its face with a circular rim forming an inclosure, and with cups or pockets formed in its uppersurface: in combination with theball and the two tumble bugs G and H arranged over the ball as described: and a suitable compressible pivotal support for the board.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name, in the presence of two witnesses, this 31st day of March, 1893.

WALTER G. BURNS.

Witnesses:

ALBERT BAKER, E. C. CooLIoAN. 

